Windows 10: Microsoft Office files are not appearing when I do a contents search on File Explorer.

Hi! Here is my issue: When I try to search for Microsoft Office files in File Explorer, I am only getting hits on search terms where the there the term appears in the actual file name. It is not doing any contents searches for Microsoft Office files. However, File Explorer is successfully doing contents searches on PDF files. Just not .doc, .ppt, .xls., etc.. In other words, if I were to search the word "cat" in file explorer, the only files that would come up are Microsoft Office and PDF files where the word "cat" appears in the file name, or PDF files where the word "cat" appears in the file

:)

 

Search Content of MHT files

Hi David,

Most probably, this is a problem with the search and indexing of your Windows 10 computer. For us to provide the best resolution possible, we would like to clarify the following:

• Are you trying to search the content of MHT files using Cortana?
• Have you tried searching it using the File Explorer?
• Are you using a third-party app to search for the content of MHT files?

As an initial troubleshooting step, we suggest that you run the troubleshooter for search and indexing. To run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter, follow these steps:

• Click the Start button and select the Settings
  icon.
• Choose Update & Security from the list.
• Click Troubleshoot in the left pane of the window.
• Under Find and fix other problems.
• Select Search and Indexing and click Run the troubleshooter.

We'll keep an eye out for your response.

 

File Explorer Search for File Content

That is correct. You cannot index content of a given file type unless you have the appropriate ifilter.

Here you can see some Office file types- associated with Libre Office:




Here you can see examples of ifilters added for some Open Office file types: (Libre Office is installed)




whilst rtf and txt are supplied by Windows as default




And here you can see my pdf reader, Sumatra, has added a pdf ifilter (you can get one separately from Adobe- not all pdf readers add this).




You also need to have the appropriate options selected to enable content indexing, which are usually set by default.

 

File Explorer Search for File Content

I wanted to share this information with others because I have not seen it provided.

I recently upgraded from Windows 7 to 10 and I found that when I did a file search in file explorer, I could not find files based on a search of a word in the text of the file's content. I observed that many people have been having the same problem. I did all the recommended indexing options and rebooting to make it possible to do the search. They did not make a difference.

It was not until I downloaded and installed two packets that allow files to be searched. One was Microsoft Office 2010 filter packs. The other was PDF iFilter 64. Since their installation, I have been able to search for file content in PDF files and in Microsoft Office files.